A long standing problem of instrumentation devices, spark plugs, grid delivery cable stand-offs, and other electrical components and systems is containment and protection of elevated voltage for delivery of energy that ranges from signal strength to much higher power levels at kilovolt or megavolt magnitudes. For example, a high voltage power line insulator must provide a critical stand-off distance from the conductor support to the insulator support to prevent arc-over through the atmosphere including rain, wet surfaces, ice, and snow, along with pollutant condensates that may form electrolytes. Similarly, spark plugs generally include a critical porcelain dimension between the central electrode and an external conductor, such as the typical threaded metal mounting fitting, in order to prevent arc-discharge along the interface within the ambient air and fumes including salt water sprays, lubricant by-products, and exhaust condensates that surround the spark plug in the combustion chamber.
As combustion engines become more complex and compact, there is a need to reduce the volume of space occupied by insulators (e.g., ceramic or porcelain) in an engine's cylinder head. In many cases where high voltage insulation is used in complex ignition system components, the insulator must be custom made to fit the particular application, adding to the cost of the end component. In addition, the insulator material is often fragile and is bulky when sufficiently thick to provide the necessary dielectric strength, which significantly constrains system design. Accordingly, there is a need for more space efficient electrical insulators. There is a further need for space efficient electrical insulators that provide design flexibility making them suitable for use in complex, compact ignition and fuel system components.